New slate of queens crowned for Southington

November 16, 2012

By MIKE CHAIKEN
EDITIONS EDITOR
There are five new members of the Southington royal family.
On Sunday at Derynoski Elementary School, the Miss Southington Scholarship Pageant crowned two new representatives to compete in Miss Connecticut this coming June. The pageant also crowned three Outstanding Teens who will vie for Miss Connectiut’s Outstanding Teen next summer.
Kaitlyn Tarpey was selected as Miss Southington. Miss Plantsville is Shannon Murphy.
The new Miss Southington’s Outstanding Teen is Madison Yurgaitis. Miss Plantsville’s Outstanding Teen is Katerina Belales. The new Miss Milldale’s Outstanding Teen is Olivia Sica.
Following the pageant, as she collected congratulations and posed for photographs, Tarpey said, she was “ecstatic, relaxed, so humbled, relieved (after having won). I’m so ready to work for Southington and go to Miss Connecticut for the third time and represent the town well.”
Tarpey added, “I have a long year ahead of me. I’m so excited to do everything. And I’m glad I was crowned before the holidays so I’ll be able to implement my platform and be around the town this winter.”
“I’m so excited I can’t wai to go to Miss Connecticut and represent Plantsville,” said Murphy, who was competing in just her second pageant ever. Last week was her first opportunity in the Miss Connecticut system when she vied for Miss Wolcott. But Murphy said she’s not completely in the dark about pageants and Miss Connecticut. She attended last June’s state pageant because the reigning Miss Connecticut— Emily Audibert— is a good friend of hers. Murphy said, “You could say she’s an inspiration.”
Now that she is Miss Plantsville, Murphy said she is looking forward to representing the community. “I can’t wait to see what’s in store for me.”
As friends offered hugs and congratulations, Yurgaitis said, “I feel amazing (about tonight). I was feeling pretty confident. I’m proud of myself…I’m looking forward to representing Southington and having a great year.”
“Oh my god, I’m so ecstatic, oh my god,” said a breathless Belales, who also received a community service award. “I’m so proud of myself that I was able to do this… I’m looking forward to a great year and getting along with everyone.”
“I feel so great,” said Sica after the bustle onstage began to die down. “This was my first pageant and I was hoping to have a lot of confidence . I wasn’t expecting anything from it. But it was a great outcome.”
As the year progresses, Olivia, who attends the Ethel Walker School, said she was looking forward to the community service in Southington because “I’ve lived here my whole life.”
The Miss Southington organization, besides welcoming five new representatives, said farewell to their predecessors. Miss Southington Cassandra Mastrianni, Miss Southington’s Outstanding Teen Sydney West, Miss Milldale’s Outstanding Teen Eliza Kanner, and Miss Marion’s Outstanding Teen Tina Valente all offered final good-byes and final performances to the audience at Derynoski on Sunday afternoon.